Shaftails' second clutch....fledgling

[cindy]

I have been watching the babies off and on all day. They are eating and doing just fine. I gave them an ABBA plastic nestbox to sleep in.

The parents, alone in their own cage have 4 eggs in the nest box, they are building a nest around them. More chicks!!!!!

[cindy]

I peeked from the top of the cage, had to stand on a chair to look. I had not heard a peep from the chicks in a long time. I decided to look and there were at least 4 chicks fully feathered, maybe 5 staring back at me.

This clutch is super quiet, I almost forgot they were there!!!! The first clutch was so loud and demanding. The parents are tending to these so often I don't think they need to beg much.

[Sally]

Congrats! You have a good pair of breeders there. I would have peeked too--when you don't hear baby sounds and you know there are babies, you start to worry. Glad they are OK.

[cindy]

This clutch is so quiet, the parents must be stuffing them to keep them quiet! I almost forgot they had chicks since I have been busy and watching the zebras.

[cindy]

We had a fledgling pop out yesterday...and there are more to come!!!!

[lovemyfinch]

Adorable Cindy Don't you just love how their eyes say "keep away"

[cindy]

That "evil eye' stare down. That will later change once they realize...hey that person supplies our food!!!!

[cindy]

A total of three are out. I can't get a picture since the parents have gotten smart to the camera. They sound the alarm and the little ones dive back into the nest!

[JohnBoy]

A total of three are out. I can't get a picture since the parents have gotten smart to the camera. They sound the alarm and the little ones dive back into the nest!

That is so neat!

[cindy]

I got home from the avian vet's office...that is another upcoming thread...

I now have all 4 of the fledglings out.

[Sally]

They look wonderful! I like species that come out looking like little adults, like the Owls do too.

[CandoAviary]

These guys look great They look like they are thinking...well here we are..what do we do now It will be interesting to see what color their beaks will be

[lovemyfinch]

I just love shaftail juvies, they are sooo inquisitive. Have your first clutch started singing yet Cindy?

[cindy]

Thanks....

Janine, they have started singing yet, some squawking I have trouble sexing them. I'll have to do a line up, you know face forward, turn to the side please and get opinions on what we have.

The beaks on 2 of the young are still very pearly pink, one has the pink but a shade of red and the 4th has a very red beak. I wrote to eFinch.com and was told that it is possible that the pink mutation has gotten into the states but we have to wait until they reach full adult feathers first to see.

How old will the be when their adult plumage is in? They are a little over 3 months now.

The second clutch is doing great, they are still being fed by mom and dad (our daughter names the dad Mo...bath time ='s crazy hairdo!).
They all were open banded last night with little purple bands, the first clutch got white.

Oh and the nest box was removed. I looked inside and there was a well like section in the back for the chicks and a small wall with a well in the front possiblly for the parents. It was kind of neat but so full of poo!!!!

They did fine, even though I put a platform in there for them they slept in the plants or a perch.

[lovemyfinch]

With shafties it's kind of hard to notice when they are molting, they molt very slowly, and don't end up missing many feathers. The only places that I have noticed the difference is in the bib. I think I might of found a trick to sex them without singing, but would prefer not guarantee that it works. It has for my last 2 clutches, I ahve noticed that on the boys the thigh band seems to go almost all around the belly, only a smalll area that has no line.